10 USEFUL Websites Where You Can LEARN So Much For So Little

How to win at life even if you can't leave the house. (We see you Covid-19.)

30 April 2020

(image: Pexels)

Mark Twain once said, “Never let formal education get in the way of your learning.”

In today’s world where change is the only constant, learning becomes even more important for you to adapt and excel. And, given that you’re stuck at home due to the current circuit breaker in Singapore, this is an ideal time to focus on a little personal development.

While enhancing your skills could up your career game, it is also important to fuel your passion. So, whether you are planning to focus on learning something new (just for the fun of it) or upgrading your professional skills or even to take your hobbies and creative streak to the next level, this list of websites – both free and low-priced – will help you whittle down your options.

1. Udemy

When it comes to online learning, Udemy is one of the top sources. It offers more than 80,000 courses to more than 24 million students. Since its mission is to improve lives through learning, it features an extensive and multi-language library on a wide range of courses from business, entrepreneurship, programming, academics, arts to even health and fitness, music and games. However, Udemy courses are created by individuals; so, as long as you are a self-proclaimed expert, you can create and design your own Udemy course, promote it and earn student tuition charges. While none of the courses are university-accredited, they can largely improve your skills.

Interested? Then, you will be pleased to know of the discounted rates. While the listing price of courses is usually in the hundreds, they often go on sale and range from $19.99 to $39.99. So, if you have a course in mind that you would like to sign up for, just be patient and wait for the sale. (Psst! Sign up for its mailer and you’ll get notified when a sale comes. There is more than one sale a month, just SYK.)

2. edX

(image: edX/Facebook)

edX is a massive open online course (MOOC) provider that was a started as a collaboration between Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Today, it offers a wide range of university-level courses from a diverse range of organisations and disciplines. From Architecture and Life Sciences to Food & Nutrition and Philosophy, it has more than 1,800 courses, taught with materials from some of the top universities in the world including Harvard, MIT and UC Berkeley.

Another bonus point of signing up on edX: You also get accredited credentials from some of the universities. This can be achieved through edX’s MicroMasters program, edX’s Professional Certificate program or even a Master’s degree online. If you feel that you are just there to learn, and don’t need the certification, then go for “audit course” option, where you can read and learn edX courses for free.

3. DataCamp

Data science and anything related to artificial intelligence is #trendingnow. So, if you want to get into this field, you’ve got to pick up the language of data. Actually, it’s important regardless of your career or the field that you are working in. Why? Because data is going to be the common language in time to come.

DataCamp offers interactive R and Python courses on topics in data science, statistics and machine learning. Through its online learning platform, it wants to make data skills and data fluency a skill for the masses. It currently runs on a subscription-based model and costs US$29 (roughly S$40) per month. One of the highlights of DataCamp is its career track courses. There are currently seven career tracks that you can choose from. The career tracks range from data scientist with R/Python to data analyst to quantitative analyst. The completion of one of its career tracks should significantly boost your knowledge and credentials for a data science related role.

4. HOW Design University

HOW Design University is the designer’s go-to source with a specific focus on design-related skills. For instance, you can learn about essential infographic design principles, Photoshop techniques, principles of web design, user experience design and more. HOW Design University also has its own brand of certification programs. You can get certified in search engine optimisation (SEO), marketing, branding, character animation, web development and even graphic design.

5. HowStuffWorks

As humans, it’s our tendency to be curious about everything around us. Yet, as we enter into the professional world, we start losing out on our curiosity quotient. We no longer ask questions about how things work, unlike when we were kids. Luckily, websites like HowStuffWorks remind us to be inquisitive and learn new things or gain fresh perspectives. From interesting topics ranging from space to life hacks, there is no limit on the questions that you can explore! Surely, you are bound to find some definitive answers on HowStuffWorks as long as you have a question in mind.

6. Duolingo

In today’s globalised world, the ability to communicate in more than one or even two languages is an indisputable edge. So, why not invest some time in learning a new language? Moreover, learning a new language helps you understand the associated cultural practices, attitudes, values and norms. Sometimes, it even opens up new doors for you.

Duolingo comes as a freemium language-learning platform that caters to more than 300 million learners. It offers a good collection from popular languages such as Spanish, French and German to others such as Hebrew, Swahili and Hawaiian. It even comes with gamification to make learning fun. (Plus, you can even learn languages such as Klingon, High Valyrian and Navajo, if you happen to know what they are!)

7. Allrecipes

You must check out Allrecipes to learn or enhance your cooking and baking. It’s a food-focused online social networking service that shares cooking inspiration. You can discover different cooking styles, recipes and even find like-minded friends. If you are also one of those who run out of ideas for dinner frequently, then this is a good platform for a suggestion. And, who knows, you might even find yourself turning into a MasterChef in no time!

8. Curiosity

Another website that is good at offering bite-size knowledge tidbits is Curiosity. It has an excellent collection of inspiring articles and videos from across the globe. So, what else makes it different? Its podcast format where you can just listen to it (like music) and gain insights into many genres of topics such as Offbeat Adventures, Amazing Places, Mind & Body, Personal Growth, Puzzles & Quizzes and Science & Technology. You can sign up for Curiosity’s mailing list so that you get the best articles curated for you each morning.

9. Surfedukators

Surfing isn’t exactly the kind of sports you can do in Singapore. However, it doesn’t mean that this should stop you from exploring it, if you’ve been dreaming about riding on waves like those surfers at the Red Bull Cape Fear. Surfedukators is a comprehensive website that teaches you everything there is to know about surfing. From surf techniques to choosing your surf gear, to safety tips and even maintaining your health for surfing — there’s tonnes of information that’s great for a beginner. Furthermore, it also includes travel tips, surfing insurance tips and surf maps of good surfing locations around the world.

10. Investopedia

Investopedia is one of the leading sources of financial content on the web. While it offers a plethora of content, from market news, retirement strategies and investing in education to insights from financial advisors, it also provides useful resources to prepare for your finance exams such as Certified Financial Analyst (CFA).

Even if you are unfamiliar or new to finance, you don’t have to worry about not being able to understand a thing. Investopedia is a good source to understand complex financial jargons. Also, its content is of a high standard and often cites scholarly works to back up its views. The only downside? Investopedia only caters to an audience in the U.S. market. However, Investopedia could be a good source for Singaporeans to get exposure to a different stock market.

This article first appeared on BankBazaar.sg, a leading online marketplace in Singapore that helps consumers compare and apply for financial products such as credit cards and loans; May 2019 / Updated: April 2020